Jane Carmichael and I worked together two years ago. She was one of the first musicians I had the chance to work with and she remains one of my favourites. This time we were working to capture images for her upcoming CD. In an earlier blog, I spoke of her infectious smile. Nick, I think, summed it up best when after 20 minutes of shooting he turned to me and asked "Is it possible to take a bad photo of her?" No Nick, it is not.
If her smile and beauty catch your eye, it's her voice that commands your attention. James Reaney of the London Free Press describes Jane's music like this:
"...rock songs that sound tighter and tougher each time you listen, while the sensitive ballads sound stronger and more haunting..."Musicians are usually most comfortable when you just let them get lost in the music. For a good portion of three hour shoot Jane, with the help of her ukulele, serenaded us with a combination of her own music as well as her own take on a few other popular tunes. Give your ears a little gift and visit her myspace. A few of the new tracks are posted as well as a number of the older tunes.
The first time we worked together Jane provided me with a few images of other artists she liked to give us a starting point. This time she provided me with only photos of her wardrobe, a link to her new songs, and creative freedom to "get it right." Working with artists who are familiar with the stage, not shy of the camera, and most importantly willing to put their trust in you to deliver images that suit the music is both exhilarating and inspiring.
We actually made a last minute location change. On Saturday night, I made the trip to Port Dover, Ontario to watch the Wind Broken Stones take to the stage. For those of you familiar with the roads in Ontario there is no "good way" to get from Waterloo to Port Dover. I took the 24 the whole way and as soon as you pass Cambridge, the open space and rural feel is omnipresent. As I made the short zigzag along the 403 to meet up with the 24 again, I was struck by the beauty of the setting sun as it glistened across the fields. the long shadows and soft orange glow coupled with the many fields and an abandoned barn got the wheels in motion. The trip home, the next morning, confirmed that and I made the call to Jane. A less trusting musician might have been more wary given the timing but Jane didn't seem put off at all and soon fell in love with the location and what the images could say about her music.
It was a fantastic weekend working. I wish I could show you the homeruns, but I'm only able to show you a handful of the photos that weren't chosen or are already published!
What's been really great over the past 2-3 years is the number of clients who are coming back for photos. It is always rewarding when families hire you to capture their growth or models hire you to fill out their books. That said, there is something special when Musicians, fellow artists if I may classify myself that way, come back again because they have faith you will deliver the crucial visual compliment to their own musical creations. New customer's will see the photo on the CD cover or the images on myspace before the sound will ever get to their ears. That's a lot of trust. Thank you for your confidence and faith once again.
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